The Hintock Branch-1930's Dorset Joint GWR/SR Workings in OO

[john flann]

How Andy'sP and R respectively, can I resist such a request?

 

Thanks too gentlemen for your interest and comments upon my earlier post concerning the map of my little part of Dorset. In my book it's an essential tool in creating a credible model railway, I also found it an entertaining exercise. Which, of course, is the whole point.

 

And, as sought four images of work in progress  and in sequential order.

 

 

 

 

 

Below, what I hope to get on with today. This too is turning out to be an interesting project.

 

 

 

 

 

[Liam]

John, are you going to get one of the new GWR Railcars by Dapol? Unfortunately I missed the time I could have pre-ordered it cheaply but perhaps it might do for the Port Bredy branch.

 

SVRlad

[Guest Midland Mole]

Stunning work as always John.

Alex

[john flann]

Just back from my morning walk: bright sun, cool breeze, 56F, an aroma of the soil returning to life, some snow on the ground and plenty still in the mountains. Very pleasant.

 

Thanks AndyP for that kind compliment and thanks too to you other gentlemen for your interest and likes.

 

SVRlad:-do you have a name?: I wasn't aware of the GWR railcar and had a look. Very snappy, but it wouldn't however, suit my operational scenario nor does it offer to me the all important operational interest.But it obviously will to some, even many.

 

Alex, I thought you'd b interested to see the E4. It's not, of course, a natural Western Division loco and the back story for its presence is that a more powerful loco would be useful on the Portland Branch's final stretches of 1 in 40 gradients to get heavier coal trains up and offer more braking power on loaded descending stone trains. But the L&SWR men at Dorchester didn't take to it, nor did the District Engineer like its affects to the permanent way. So rather than send it back it was transfered to Yeovil where the enginemen welcomed it especially on the Yeovil, Templecombe, Sturminster Newton, Hintock, Port Bredy, Yeovil turns.

[Liam]

Hello John

 

Yes I do have a name; my name is Liam, but I regularly visit my namesake railway (the Severn Valley). I see you live in the USA - are you an expat or have you lived most if not all of your life there?

[john flann]

Liam, much more user friendly, thanks. I've never visited the SVR and only seen its operations on YouTube and I'm impressed.

 

Yes, I'm an expat, my late wife and I immigrated to the USA about 27 years ago to join our two sons.

 

So Hintock/HTQ and Port Bredy are an exercise in nostalgia for the Dorset of my ancestors and that I knew as a boy.  Creating it is also fun and an engaging pursuit.

 

I hope you will continue to keep looking in.

 

Regards,

[sjrixon]

John, what are the walls around the crossing gates etc? I've been looking for something like that, but as yet not found any..

[Liam]

I have some relatives that live in Dorset, near Blandford Forum.

 

I don't know how this will come out, but here's a picture of perhaps the most well-known station on the line, called Highley. The signal box there has been modelled by Bachmann.

 

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQAB3BU7om56xCANuyQB9g5WXURTMtiinJ28RB64d_ac_J3KS7INQ

 

Liam

[john flann]

sjrixon: do you have a name?, pleased you like the stone walls. These I make out of lengths of hardboard covered with strips of Slater's random stone plasticard. Along the top I make vertical cuts and round these off with a file and sandpaper. Paint to suit, I use different coats of white/grey until I get the effect I want. The vegetation on them is flock blown on to dilute white glue.

 

Simple to make and effective. All my walls are made the same way.

 

It's a technique I have been using for years.

 

Liam, yes it works, that's a very nice looking Box.

[sjrixon]

Thanks.. I'll need to have a look at that, they look very smart. I've added my name back into my signature, I'm sure it was there before.

[john flann]

Thanks Scott, it's very faint and I can't recall seeing it previously.

 

Maybe I should be wearing my glasses.

 

I hope the walls work for you. They do appear quite individual and realistic when bedded in. It was kind of you to inquire.

 

I had noted your earlier interest in my Hintock/Port Bredy activities and hope  you will continue to visit.

 

Regards.

[Donington Road]

Hi John,

 

Looking at your water side scene, have you seen what Alan did on his layout, page 74 on-wards.  The harbour scene looked quite impressive when it was finished

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/2386-kingsbridge-regis-at-the-end-of-the-wencombe-line/page-74

 

edit:  perhaps I am a bit late with this post

[john flann]

Mick, thanks for your thoughts and interest.

 

Yes, I have seen and admired Alan's work. He however models and portrays so very well a bustling, hilly Devon seaside resort town with a busy fishing harbour and a main line train service in the 1960's. I. on the other hand, a sleepy small Dorset village set among water meadows at the mouth of a slow running River Brede in the 1930's and a very local service of trains.

 

The quay you see at Port Bredy now serves no commercial purpose and the only use made of it is as a mooring for small local working boats. What ship borne coastal traffic there is dealt with at the small harbour at the mouth of the river that  is  rail served by means of the horse worked tramway that runs to it.

 

In the picture below (of a work in progress) the Harbour Tramway is that on which the two SR wagons are standing.

 

[Donington Road]

Mick, thanks for your thoughts and interest.

 

Yes, I have seen and admired Alan's work. He however models and portrays so very well a bustling, hilly Devon seaside resort town with a busy fishing harbour and a main line train service in the 1960's. I. on the other hand, a sleepy small Dorset village set among water meadows at the mouth of a slow running River Brede in the 1930's and a very local service of trains.

 

The quay you see at Port Bredy now serves no commercial purpose and the only use made of it is as a mooring for small local working boats. What ship borne coastal traffic there is dealt with at the small harbour at the mouth of the river that  is  rail served by means of the horse worked tramway that runs to it.

 

In the picture below (of a work in progress) the Harbour Tramway is that on which the two SR wagons are standing.

 

DSCN5740-1.jpg

 

Yes, a totally different scenario but both portraying that lazy warm summers day feel.

What I was perhaps alluding to more was the effectiveness of the water and how the boats sat within it.

Whatever the outcome, I could spend hours watching the world go by fishing your slow moving river or Alan's bustling harbour.

[john flann]

Mick, perhaps you have been misled, there is presently no "water" there. What you see is the sub-surface and craft sitting on it. When the "water" is added the craft will appear to be floating naturally.

 

This will be one of my next steps and after I have finished off the  boats in question.

[Liam]

Mick, perhaps you have been misled, there is presently no "water" there. What you see is the sub-surface and craft sitting on it. When the "water" is added the craft will appear to be floating naturally.

 

This will be one of my next steps and after I have finished off the  boats in question.

If you didn't want to add water, you could take a leaf out of 'St Ruth's book and not model it at all but just show the shingle and sand.

 

Liam

[john flann]

Mick, just to re-assure you here is what I did on Hintock Town Quay.

 

 

The occasion was a Special Working, passenger stock is not normally seen on the Quay.

 

 

 

 

[john flann]

And, I forget this, if you like that in greater detail, here it is.

 

 

 

 

[john flann]

And this,

 

[Andrew P]

So many buttons to hit John, Like, Like and Like, hahah

[john flann]

 

I have been discussing with a member the question of finished surfaces.

 

I used these to show examples of what I have done.

 

In each there is a distinct, discrete difference between them that enhances the overall effect.

 

[Andrew P]

DSCN2942-3.jpg

 

I have been discussing with a member the question of finished surfaces.

 

I used these to show examples of what I have done.

 

In each there is a distinct, discrete difference between them that enhances the overall effect.

 

DSCN3645-2.jpg

Thanks for the pics and E-Mail John, Yes indeed, a very nice effect, and as you quite rightly say; discrete differences, I've been looking at the Lanes on Little Muddle and as mine will be primarily 1930's to the 50's I want to try the same effect on Un Tarmacked Country Lanes and Station Forecourt. If it looks fine enough then I'll probably go for the Platforms as well.

 

Your pictures are always a welcome sight for inspiration John.

 

Thanks,

[sjrixon]

Can you provide some details on how you achieve them?

 

I've used chinchilla dust to good effect on my narrow gauge layout. But your yard looks really nice

[john flann]

Scott, thank you for your interest.

 

The surfaces you see are all different, fine stones, gravel, stone setts and asphalt. This avoids the appearance of "sameness" and, of course, they serve different purposes, were laid or renewed at different times, sexperienced hard use,suffered damage and been.patched and maintained. So that's why they are not pristine.

 

The stone, shingle, gravel affect I achieve with the finest of Woodlands Scenic materials scattered on wet paint of a grayish shade(s) and securing with well diluted white glue. The trick here is to get it all level.

 

The setts are from Slater's painted whatever colour is appropriate and dashes of the above.

 

The yard/platform surfaces are gray paint and again as above.

 

Where appropriate "grass/weeds" in moderation is blown on and where appropriate..

 

The different stains/colours on the finished surfaces I do after painting things by squeezing out the wettened brush and let the colurs flow, aided by a squirt of water, as they will.

 

It's  a process that can take a while and very often requires going back and making over. Which actually enhances the appearance because that's what happens naturally.

 

Hope this helps.

[john flann]

I scratch built the Signal Box at Port Bredy and for once remembered to take some photographs along the way, so here are a selection.

 

I used my favourite material, good quality card and  stripwood for bracing. The windows, that in my view (pardon the pun) make a building are from Tichy Trains (USA). These I had in stock and whilst not exactly protyopical look reasonably "right"-and that's all I ever aim for.

 

There is no blow by blow account of what I did. That should be apparent, but if there are questions please do ask.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The latter images show the box in position. The surrounding areas at the time of photography were-works in progress.

 

Lastly, why I decided to scratch build was because I had intended to use a Ratio platform box kit. I started but got so fed up with the fiddly parts and their ill fitting nature I decided I could do better myself.

 

It too should be remembered that Port Bredy was not a GWR station at the outset. It was built by the Port Bredy Harbour & Hintock Railway Co and their engineer designed, as he did all the station buildings in his own manner.